Standard plaque assay using agarose-overlay has long been used for titration of many infectious virus particle. Plaque assay for the titration of varicella-zoster virus and its live vaccine requires three intermittent agarose overlay to visualize plaques. Overall procedure of the assay takes at least nine days from virus inoculation and microbe contamination including fungi is frequently accompanied during incubation period. We studied whether an immunofocus assay in conjunction with peroxidase-mediated immunohistochemical reaction may replace the standard plaque assay for the virus titration by comparing the two methods. A linear relationship was observed between number of foci and virus dilution. The number of foci in a given dilution of virus appeared a little higher than counted plaques formed in standard plaque assay. Independent titration results obtained from two assay methods for a given dilution of virus demonstrated a strong correlation (r2=0.99). Foci of virus infected cells as revealed by the enzyme reaction could be counted either 4 days post-infection (p.i.) under low magnification (40X) microscopy, or 6 days p.i. by naked eye observation. Larger size of cell cuture plate, virus adsorption at 35 degrees C, and 10% FBS in diluent appeared to be better conditions for the assay. Immunofocus assay will be an effective and dependable titration method for varicella-zoster virus and its live vaccine in place of the standard plaque assay in respect to accuracy, costs, and experimental convenience.
Adsorption ; Fungi ; Herpesvirus 3, Human* ; Microscopy ; Sepharose ; Virion

Chronic intestional pseudoobstruction syndrome is a rare clinical condition in which impaired intestinal peristalsis. Causes recurrent symptoms of bowel obstruction in the absence of a mechanical occlusion. This syndrome may involve variable segments of small or large bowel. And may be associated with urinary bladder retention. This study included 6 children(3 boys and 3 girls) of chronic intestinal obstruction. Four were symptomatic at birth and two were of the ages of one month and one year. All had abdominal distention and defication difficulty. Five had urinary bladder distention. Despite parenteral nutrition and surgical intervention(ileostomy or colostomy), bowel obstruction persisted and four patients expired from sepsis within one year. All had gaseous distention of small and large bowel on abdominal films. In small bowel series. Consistent findings were variable degree of dilatation. Decreased peristalsis(prolonged transit time) and microcolon or microrectum. This disease entity must be differentiated from congenital megacolon, ileal atresia and megacystis syndrome.
Dilatation ; Hirschsprung Disease ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction* ; Parenteral Nutrition ; Parturition ; Peristalsis ; Sepsis ; Urinary Bladder

No abstract available.
Hematoma*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell*

All authors would like to withdraw the article because they have found a mistake in selecting subjects for this study.

The purpose of this study was to take the right direction and meet the requirements of newspaper function about child health through evaluation of child health information articles in newspapers. Data were collected 4 main daily newspaper by selecting child health information articles during 1 year from January 1 to December 31, 1998. The results of this study are as follows. The frequency according to health category, disease treatment(47.7%) topped followed by health maintenance?promotion(28.8%), growth?development(12.1%), disease prevention(11.4%). The frequency according to WHO international disease classification, infectious disease (23.6%) take most. In evaluation area of child health information, practical usage(3.78) topped followed by accuracy(3.68), comprehensiveness(3.64), clearness (3.48), concreteness(3.33).
Child ; Child* ; Classification ; Communicable Diseases ; Humans ; Newspapers* ; Child Health* ; Periodicals

The purpose of this study was to take the right direction and meet the requirements of newspaper function about child health through evaluation of child health information articles in newspapers. Data were collected 4 main daily newspaper by selecting child health information articles during 1 year from January 1 to December 31, 1998. The results of this study are as follows. The frequency according to health category, disease treatment(47.7%) topped followed by health maintenance?promotion(28.8%), growth?development(12.1%), disease prevention(11.4%). The frequency according to WHO international disease classification, infectious disease (23.6%) take most. In evaluation area of child health information, practical usage(3.78) topped followed by accuracy(3.68), comprehensiveness(3.64), clearness (3.48), concreteness(3.33).
Child ; Child* ; Classification ; Communicable Diseases ; Humans ; Newspapers* ; Child Health* ; Periodicals

PURPOSE: Interictal F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET and ictal Tc-99m-HMPAO SPECT are found to be useful in localizing epileptogenic zones in neocortical lateral temporal or frontal lobe epilepsy. We investigated whether interictal F-18-FDG PET or ictal Tc-99m-HMPAO SPECT was useful to find epileptogenic zones in occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed patterns of hypometabolism in interictal F-18-FDG PET and of hyperperfusion in ictal Tc-99m-HMPAO SPECT in 17 OLE patients (mean age=27+/-6.8 year, M:F=10:7, injection time=30+/-17 sec). OLE was diagnosed based on invasive electroencephalography (EEG) study, surgery and post-surgical outcome (Engel class I in all for average 14 months). RESULTS: Epileptogenic zones were correctly localized in 9 (60%) out of 15 patients by interictal F-18-FDG PET. Epiletogenic hemispheres were correctly lateralized in 14 patients (93%). By ictal Tc-99m-HMPAO SPECT, epileptogenic hemispheres were correctly lateralized in 13 patients (76%), but localization was possible only in 3 patients (18%). Among patients who showed no abnormality with MR imaging and no correct localization with ictal Tc-99m-HMPAO SPECT, interictal F-18-FDG PET was helpful in 2 patients. CONCLUSION:: Ictal Tc-99m-HMPAO SPECT was helpful in lateralization but not in localization in OLE. Interictal F-18-FDG PET was helpful for localization of epileptogenic zones even in patients with ambiguous MR or ictal SPECT findings. Key KW: Occipital lobe epilepsy, Tc-99m-HMPAO, Ictal perfusion SPECT, F-18-FDG, PET, SPECT
Electroencephalography ; Epilepsies, Partial* ; Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Occipital Lobe* ; Perfusion ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

PURPOSE: The survival of bone marrow derived stem cell was reported several times. But the survival of adipose tissue derived stem cells(hASCs) was not mentioned on. We studied the adipose tissue derived stem cell's survival and effect on articular cartilage in rabbits. METHODS: Osteoarthritis was induced in twenty New Zealand white rabbits by intraarticular injection of monosodium iodoacetate(MIA). After four weeks, hASCs were also injected into the knee joints space without any vehicle, but the control group received phosphate buffered saline only. The histologic grade of articular cartilage was measured in 4 and 8 weeks after the transplantation of hASC and the viability of injected stem cells measured by Fluorescent in situ Hybridization (FISH) examination. RESULTS: After 4 and 8 weeks from hASCs transplantation, histologic grade was not significantly difference between two groups(p>0.05), and the Y chromosome of the transplanted hASCs was not detected in articular cartilage. CONCLUSION: We found that direct injection of hASC in joint space didn't work on damaged articular cartilage repair.
Adipose Tissue ; Bone Marrow ; Cartilage, Articular ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Joints ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Osteoarthritis ; Rabbits ; Stem Cells ; Transplants ; Y Chromosome

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changing pattern of serum leptin level and the correlation between estradiol level during the clomiphene citrate challenge test(CCCT) or controlled ovarian hyperstimulation(COH) cycle. METHODS: Twenty-seven women who underwent CCCT and fourteen women who underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation were recruited to measure the serum leptin level. After correction of serum concentration with body mass index(BMI), changes of leptin level and correlation with serum estradiol level during CCCT and COH cycle were analyzed. RESULTS: Circulating leptin levels were significantly correlated with BMI at each time point in CCCT cycle(P<0.01). In CCCT cycle, leptin/BMI level was significantly increased at midluteal phase compared to that of menstrual cycle day 3 and 10(p<0.05). In women with regular menstruation, leptin/BMI level at midluteal phase was significantly higher than that of menstrual day 3 and 10, but this difference was not seen in women with irregular menstruation. The leptin/BMI level in COH cycle showed increasing tendency throughout ovarian stimulation. But there was no significant correlation between leptin/BMI and estradiol level in CCCT and COH cycle. CONCLUSION: There is a significant correlation between BMI and circulating leptin level. Midluteal leptin level is significantly higher than that of follicular phase in CCCT cycle, and there is an increasing tendency in leptin level after ovarian stimulation in CCCT and COH cycle without statistical significance. These findings suggest that circulating estradiol concentration has no major influence on circulating leptin level.
Clomiphene* ; Estradiol ; Female ; Follicular Phase ; Humans ; Leptin* ; Menstrual Cycle ; Menstruation ; Ovulation Induction